It’s been a bizarre year for San Diego property taxes and real estate.

Much was lost to recent tragic wildfires, dozens of homes were damaged in the Mt. Soledad and La Jolla landslides and the San Diego real estate market is seeking a footing with a record number of foreclosures, short sales and days on market.

It’s comforting to know, though, that some things (almost) never change and remain a constant irritation in our lives. One of those constants is your San Diego property tax bill that falls due according to the following schedule:

November 1 : First installment is due.

December 10: First installment payment deadline. Pay after 5 p.m., and you will be assessed a hefty 10 percent penalty unless the delinquent date falls on a weekend or holiday. In that case, delinquent date will be the next business day.

February 1: Second installment due.

April 10: Second installment payment deadline. Pay after 5 p.m…..(see above) and add an additional $10 penalty.

If your San Diego property taxes remain unpaid at the end of the fiscal year on June 30, all delinquent secured accounts are moved to the delinquent tax rolls, where an additional 1.5 percent per month is assessed on any unpaid tax bills (18 percent per annum)–plus a $15 redemption fee.

San Diego County property taxes are collected by the San Diego County Treasurer and Tax Collector’s office (Greg Smith) and can be paid via mail, over the telephone with a credit card, in person, or online.